When I was a kid, maybe 8 years old, I vividly recall a story about a distant relative who lived in our neighborhood. He went by the name of “Patty Boy”. From what I understood he was a good looking and good natured person. But when he was in his early twenties I believe, he got involved with drugs. LSD. He became addicted and no matter how much family and friends tried to get him out of its clutches, it came to no avail. He had every opportunity to decide to not begin taking drugs and he also could have sought help to kick the habit and preserve life. I lost track as to the outcome of Patty’s addiction. So I am not certain as to whether it took his life or if he finally accepted the help he needed.
I have never tried drugs…of any kind. Not marijuana, not cigarettes, and did not abuse alcohol. I don’t even like the effects caffeine has on me. Why did so many in my generation use and fall victim to drugs and I stayed away. I think Patty Boy was partially responsible for my choices. The memory of the stories I had heard as a kid about how drugs affected him left an indelible mark on my psyche. In a sense, his choice to begin taking drugs, and refusing help along the way, hardening his heart, had the result of me choosing not to participate in a similar way. In a sense, I believe, God used Patty Boy’s choices to save me and likely others from suffering a similar fate. It was as if God said, “Ok. If you are not going to listen to my word and accept what I had planned for your life, then I will use your choice to turn from me to help others.
In the Gospel today we continue with John’s bread of life discourse from Chapter 6. Jesus has fed the 5,000. He has told the crowd that he has the bread of everlasting life. He has made it clear that He was, in fact, that bread and for them to achieve life sternal with Him they must eat His flesh and drink His blood. Some took these words to heart. They didn’t really know what Jesus meant by all this apparent cannibalism but they had faith in Him. Faith meaning that they had trust in His word. They had seen His works and listened to His words to the point that what He said they would follow. Regardless.
There were also disciples that traveled with Jesus who, when they heard His words about eating His body felt that these teachings were hard to take. They had seen the same miracles and listened to the same words spoken by The Lord, but they chose a different path. They rejected Christ’s teachings because they seemed to be outrageous. It is at this point it is clear that their heart’s were hardened to accepting and trusting Jesus’ words. Of not having faith. Jesus reveals to His remaining disciples that their faith is a gift offered by God to be accepted or rejected.
“For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”
God uses the unbelief and hardened hearts of those who left Him to teach. We know Jesus was actually talking about eating His body and drinking His blood in the real presence of the Eucharist partly because of His response to those that walked away. He did not run after them saying that he was just speaking in metaphorically. That He meant that eating and drinking were just symbolic. No. He let them walk away and doubled down with His Apostles. Asking them, “Do you also want to leave?” Once they made the decision to walk away from Jesus, God hardened their hearts to use them as an example for all of us. That He is truly present in the Eucharist.
This is the same way God used Pharaoh in Egypt. After refusing to abide to Moses and God to let the Israelites leave, he hardens his heart. God solidifies Pharaoh’s choice in order to use him to show the power of God to the Israelites. The 10 plagues, the dividing of the Red Sea and the Pillar of fire separating Pharaoh’s army away from the Israelite camp. For those of us who turn away from God with steadfast determination, with no desire to return, God can use this choice to demonstrate the truth to those who open their hearts to His love, mercy and salvation.
I like to think that Patty Boy repented and softened his heart to getting treatment. But I am eternally grateful that God used him as a means of pointing out the ravages of drug addiction so that I could walk down the path He had for my life.
